The pension bonus, back on the scene. The bonus is part of a broader package of pension reform by the federal government. In this article, we take a closer look at terms of the new pension bonus, as well as what impact it may have for those preparing for their golden years.
The pension bonus, what's in a name?
The pension bonus is an additional net amount you will receive on top of your pension if you have chosen to continuing to work beyond your earliest possible retirement date. The earliest possible date you can retire is:
- Or the date of your early retirement;
- Either your legal retirement date (if you do not meet the conditions for early retirement).
You can also find this data easily at any time via https://www.mypension.be/nl.
This bonus applies not only to employees, but also self-employed persons and civil servants can claim this.
Pension bonus accrual takes maximum 3 years and can only be started as of July 1, 2024. Each day worked after the earliest retirement date counts toward accrual. For example, if you stop working for a while after you started accruing your bonus, the 3-year period is not extended by this break.
To be entitled to the bonus, you must also not take your retirement pension earlier than Jan. 1, 2025.
Taking your retirement pension or receiving an initial payment of it stops pension bonus accrual.
Your accrued bonus will then eventually be paid out in the form of a capital (one-time fee) or as a interest (monthly supplement to your pension). Both the calculation and payment are done automatically by the Federal Pension Service: so you don't have to do anything yourself.
Let's talk money!
The bonus involves a net bonus, free of social security contributions and taxes.
The amount of the bonus depends on the number of career years you have at the earliest retirement date.
You have < 43 career years at your earliest retirement date ("regular career").
If you were to continue working full time, the amount of the retirement bonus is accrued as follows:
| Year 1 | EUR 3,927.51 net |
| Year 2 | EUR 7,855.02 net |
| Year 3 | EUR 11,782.53 net |
| Total for 3 years | EUR 23,565.06 net |
You have > 43 career years at your earliest retirement date ("long career")
If you were to continue working full time, the amount of the retirement bonus is accrued as follows:
| Year 1 | EUR 11,782.53 net |
| Year 2 | EUR 11,782.53 net |
| Year 3 | EUR 11,782.53 net |
| Total for 3 years | EUR 35,347.59 net |
Please note: there will also be a maximum ceiling provided!
The sum of your pension(s), both statutory and supplementary, and the pension bonus may not exceed EUR 8,129.08 gross pension per month or EUR 97,548.92 gross per year.
If the ceiling is exceeded, the pension bonus payable will be limited.
Differences between accrual for employees & self-employed?
Depending on the scheme under which you operate, there will also be some (minor) differences in the exact accrual of the pension bonus:
- As an employee, you can maximum 936 bonus days For this purpose, the Pension Service takes into account all working days and up to 30 "equivalent" days per year (provided there is min. 1 day worked in that calendar year).
- As a self-employed person, you can maximum for 12 quarters accrue a pension bonus. Any quarter in which you pay social contributions will then also count. An additional condition is that the income from your self-employed activity must be equal to the minimum income for a self-employed person in main occupation.
And what if you now have a mixed career have had? In such a case, you will be able to accumulate multiple retirement bonuses simultaneously or sequentially, subject to 2 restrictions:
- Each bonus year separately may contain a maximum of 312 bonus days;
- Across all systems (employee/self-employed), you can accumulate a maximum of 3 bonus years (or 936 days).
Some examples
| Situation | Accrued pension bonus |
| 1) Mariette has 43 career years on 01/06/2028 (date she can retire early), but she decides to delay her retirement by 2 years.
During the 1ste years she works full time as an employee, during the 2the year, she worked only 286 days. In total, she accrued 598 days of pension bonus. |
Year 1: EUR 11,782.53
Year 2: EUR 10,800.65 Year 3: / ➝ Mariette will receive a one-time payment of EUR 22,583.18 net upon drawing her retirement pension. |
| 2) Tim has 42 career years (both as an employee and self-employed) on 01/07/2027 (legal retirement date), but he decides to delay his retirement by 4 years.
During the 1ste year he works 186 days as an employee, during the 2the , 3the and 4the years in each case, he is fully self-employed. |
Year 1: EUR 2,341.40 (employee).
Year 2: EUR 7,855.02 (self-employed) Year 3: EUR 11,782.53 (self-employed) Year 4: / ➝ Tim will receive a one-time payment of EUR 21,978.95 net upon drawing his retirement pension. |
| 3) Rene has 42 career years on 01/05/2025 (date she can retire early), but she decides to delay her retirement by 3 years. During these 3 years, she will only work half-time. | Year 1: EUR 1,963.75 (full-time bonus x 50%)
Year 2: EUR 3,927.51 (full-time bonus x 50%) Year 3: EUR 5,891.26 (full-time bonus x 50%) ➝ Rene will receive a one-time payment of EUR 11,782.53 net upon drawing her retirement pension. |
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